MAHALAKSHMI

ENGINEERING COLLEGE
TIRUCHIRAPALLI - 621213.

QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWER

DEPARTMENT: CIVIL SEMESTER: 07
SUBJECT CODE /NAME: CE 2401/DESIGN OF REINFORCED CONCRETE AND BRICK
MASONDRY STRUCTURES
YEAR: IV

UNIT II – WATER TANKS

Underground rectangular tanks-Domes-Overhead circular and rectangular tanks-Design
of staging and foundation.
PART - A (2 marks)
1. Water is the types of reinforced concrete water tanks? (AUC May/Jun-2012)
(AUC Nov/Dec-2011)
Tanks resting on ground
underground tanks
Elevated water tanks.

2. What are the forces acting on the dome? (AUC May/Jun-2013)

Self-weight of the dome.
Live load
Floor finishing load

3. What are the conditions to be considered for the cylindrical tank situated
underground? (AUC May/Jun-2013)
When a water tank is built underground, the wall should be investigated for both internal
water pressure and external earth pressure. The external pressure may be due to dry earth or
due to a combination of earth and ground water.
The design principles for such tanks are same as that for tanks resting on ground. In
such case of tank built below ground with earth covering the roof will be a trapezoidal lateral
pressure on the wall.

4. Sketch the variation of hoop stress between the crown and base of a hemispherical
top cover dome carrying uniformly distributed load per unit surface area.
(AUC Nov/Dec-2013)

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5. Mention various critical load combinations that are to be considered in the analysis of
walls of an underground rectangular water tank, when there is a possibility of ground
water table to rise above the base slab. (AUC Nov/Dec-2013)
When there is a possibility of ground water table to rise above the base slab, not only
walls are to be designed for saturated soil up to the extent of water above the base slab, but
also the base slab is to be designed for the net uplift pressure of water.in addition check has to
be applied for stability of the as a whole against uplift.

6. For what conditions the underground water tanks are designed and checked?
(AUC May/Jun-2012) (AUC Nov/Dec-2011)
The wall to be designed for both internal water pressure and external earth
pressure.
The external pressure may be due to dry earth or due to a combination of earth
and ground water.
The design principles for such tanks are same as that for tanks resting on
ground. In such case of tank built below ground with earth covering the roof will
be a trapezoidal lateral pressure on the wall.

7. Name the types of movement joints. (AUC Nov/Dec-2012)

Construction joints
Expansion joints
Sliding joints

8. What theory is used to design? (AUC Nov/Dec-2012)

A. the members under direct tension
The members are designed by Dr.Reissners Method and Carpenter's Method.

B. the members under bending tension

The members are designed by I.S Code method.

9. Mention the grade of concrete which is used in the construction of water tank.
Richer concrete mix of grades M20 to M30 are commonly used in the construction of
water tanks. High quality concrete, in addition to providing water tightness, also has higher
resistance to tensile stresses developed in the tank walls.

10. Mention the three factors that must be considered while designing a RCC tank.
Strength
Water tightness
Overall stability

11. Mention the reinforcement details that should be provided in a water tanks.
Minimum area of steel is 0.3 percent of gross area of section up to 100mm thick, reduced
to 0.2 percent in section up to 450mm thick. For sections above 225mm thick, provide two
layers of reinforcement. The percentage of reinforcement in base or floor slab resisting directly
on ground must be not less than 0.15% of the concrete section.
The minimum cover to all reinforcement should be not less than 25mm or the diameter
of the bar whichever is greater.

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12. Define the term: Dome
A Dome is defined as a thin shell generated by the revolution of a regular curve about
one of its axes.

13. Define the following terms:

Latitude
The circle of each ring in a dome is called Latitude.
Meridian circle
The circle drawn through two diametrically opposite points on a horizontal diameter and
the crown is known as meridian circle.

14. Define the following terms

i. Radial
The joint between successive horizontal rings is called radial.

ii. Meridian thrust:

The reaction between the rings is tangential to the curved surface giving rise to compression
along the medians. The compressive stress is called meridional thrust or meridional
compression.

15. Mention the thickness and steel requirement of dome.

A minimum thickness of 7.5cm is provided to protect steel. Minimum steel requirements
0.15% for mild steel bars and 0.12% for HYSD bars of the sectional area in each direction
meridionally as well as along the

16. What are the three types of joints in water tank?

Movement joints
Construction joints
Temporary open joints

17. What is the foundation specification for small capacity tanks?

For small capacity tanks individual footings for columns can be provided. Infect, the type of
footing will depend upon the nature of soil and type of staging. In case of low lying areas of low
safe bearing capacity with high ground water table, pile footings are provided.
In any case of foundation slab, lean mix of 1:4:8, 150mm thick may be provided as
leveling course.

18. What are the methods available for the analysis of circular tank?
IS code method
Reissners method
Carpenter’s method
Approximate method

19. What are movement joints in water tanks?

These joints require the incorporation of special materials in order to maintain water-
tightness while accommodating relative movement between the sides of the joints. All
movement joints are essentially flexible

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20. What is contraction joint in water tanks?
A contraction joint is a typical movement joint which accommodates the contraction of the
concrete.

21. What is meant by expansion joint in water tanks?

It is a movement joint with complete discontinuity in both reinforcement and concrete, and is
intended to accommodate either expansion or contraction of the structure.

22. What are underground water tanks?

Underground water tanks are used for storage of water received from water supply mains
operating at low pressures, or received from other source.

23. What are conditions under which the walls of underground water tanks designed?
Tank full with water, with no earth fill outside.
Tank empty, with full earth pressure due to saturated earth fill.

24. What are the four components of design of underground water tanks?
Design of long walls
Design of short walls
Design of base slab

25. What are two methods of analysis of rectangular tanks?

Approximate analysis
Exact analysis based on elastic theory

26. Where are the places domes are used?

Roof of circular areas
Circular tanks
Exhibition halls, auditoriums and planetariums and
Bottoms of tanks, bins and bunkers

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 PART-B (16 MARKS)

1. A reinforced concrete dome of 6m base diameter with a rise of 1.25m is to be designed

for a water tank. The uniformly distributed load including finishes on come may be taken
as 2kN/m2.adopting M20 concrete and grade I steel, design the dome and ring beam.
Permissible tensile stress in steel=100N/mm2.
(AUC May/Jun-2013) (AUC Nov/Dec-2012, 2013)

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2. Design a circular tank with a flexible base for capacity of 500000 litres.The depth of
water is to be 4m.Free board=200mm.use M20 concrete and grade I steel.Permissible
direct tensile stress in concrete =1.2N/mm2.Permissible stress in steel in direct
tension=100N/mm2.Sketch the details of reinforcements in tank walls.
(AUC Nov/Dec-2012)

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3. Design a circular water tank with fixed base for capacity of 400000 liters. The depth of
water is to be 4m.free board=200mm.use M20 Grade concrete and grade I mild steel.
Permissible direct tensile stress in concrete=1.2N/mm2
Permissible stress in steel in direct tension=100 N/mm2
Sketch the details of reinforcement in tank walls.

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4. A rectangular R.C. water tank with an open top is store 80000litres of water. The inside
dimensions of tank may be taken as 6mx4m.the tank rests on walls on all the four sides.
Design the side the side walls of the tank using M20 concrete and grade I steel.

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5. A reinforced concrete water tank resting on ground is 6mx2m with a maximum depth
2.5m.Using M20 concrete and grade I steel design the tank walls.

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6. Design the side walls of a square of R.C.C. tank of capacity 70000 liters of water. Depth
of water in the tank =2.8m.free board=0.2m.adopt M20 concrete and grade I steel. Tensile
stresses in steel limited to 100N/mm2 at water face and 125N/mm2 away from face. Sketch
the details of reinforcements in the walls of the tank.

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7. Design an R.C. tank of internal dimensions 10mx3mx3m.the tank is to be provided
underground. The soil surrounding the tank is likely to get wet. Angle of repose of soil in
dry state is 300 and in wet state is 60. Adopt suitable working stresses. Soil weights
20kN/m3.adopt M20 concrete and grade I steel.
(AUC May/Jun-2012, 13) (AUC Nov/Dec-2011)

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8. Design an overhead flat bottomed R.C.C. cylindrical water tank to store 100kl of water.
The top of the tank is covered with a dome. Height of staging=12m above ground level.
Provide 2m depth of foundation. Intensity of wind pressure may be taken as
1.5kN/m2.adopting M20 grade concrete and Fe415 steel design the following:
Size of tank
Ring beam at junction of dome and side walls.
Side walls of tank
Bottom ring girder
Tank floor slab
Bracing at 4m intervals
R.C. column assuming six column supports
Foundation for the tank. (AUC May/Jun-2012) (AUC Nov/Dec-2011)

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9. Explain the steps involved in the wind load analysis of elevated water tank.
(AUC Nov/Dec-2013)

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